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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did Joe meet his ex-girlfriend?

2. Joe describes Beck's friend Lynn as being what?

3. What is Benji's full name?

4. Why is the ladle important to Beck?

5. How old was Joe when he started working at the bookshop?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who interrupts Joe and Beck as they are assembling her bed? What is the outcome of this interruption?

2. How does Joe help Beck during a dangerous situation?

3. What information does Joe learn about Beck after meeting her? How does he learn this information?

4. How does Joe get inside Beck's apartment and what does he do there?

5. Why did Mr. Mooney punish Joe? How did he punish him?

6. Who is Spencer Hewitt? What is significant about him?

7. What special gift does Beck give Joe? Why?

8. What enables Joe to monitor Beck's communications with others?

9. How does Joe meet Beck? What does Joe think about her?

10. What does Joe do to Benji?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Beck and Karen Minty. In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different? How do their similarities and differences highlight the novel’s themes?

Essay Topic 2

Books are very important to the story. Discuss how characters like Joe, Beck, Mr. Mooney, and Peach view books. What point do you think the author is trying to make regarding the importance of books?

Essay Topic 3

At one point in the novel, Joe notes: “Work in a bookstore and learn that most people in this world feel guilty about being who they are.” Explain how his idea is illustrated by the characters in the novel.

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